Shower head



April 6, 1943. J. R. TUREK ET AL.

SHOWER HEAD Filed Jan. 29, 1942 Patented Apr. 6, 1943 SHOWER` HEAD J'amesvR. Turek, Berwyn, and Carl Bolling, Chicago, Ill., assignors te Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application January 29, 1942, Serial No. 428,642

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved shower head and Ahas :for one of its principal objects` the provision of a simpl'efspiral coi-l member; :as for example, a. spring member whichl di- Mil- 116) the housing I as shown at Ill. The core member 8 has `avcentral bore I4 enlarged at its upper end as shown at I5. The spirally wound coil of |wire I-I istted snugly within the enlarged bore I5 A plug member I2 is press-fitted The preferred Thev skirted An outer hood I9 The At this The latter men- It will be notrects the stream -of water inV such marmer as to of the core 8. form a satisfactory spray for shower purposes yor centrally of the wire helix II, as indicated, The the like. l diameter of the plug is such that when itis An `irriportant objectlof this invention Vistoproforced downwardly the coil of wire II is firmly vide a renewable centerpiece or core member for compressed between `the walls-of the bore I5 and shower-heads or. the -like which act-s to discharge 1,0 the plug I2. As shown in the modified formV in a stream of water substantially 'conical in form. Fig. 3, the plug I2u may be tapered slightly in Another important object of this invention is order to increase the effectiveness of the driving tlieqprovision of a shower head which comprises, lit to create a duid-tight seal.

l in combination with the spring-like member, a `construction provides that the spirally wound coil centra-1 core or centerpiece which effects-a swirll5 of wire does not shift .but remains in Aa iixed .poing motion to the yiiuid flowing therethrough and sition. As indicated, the passage `I3 is arranged when so swirling air is drawn in to be mixed longitudinally through the center of the plug `I` 2. therewith, the result being a ne mist-like spray A shroud or skirted member I6 is threadedly or desirableiin certain shower use. otherwise suitably attached to the lower end of Another .and further `important object of this the center piece 8, as show-n at I1.. invention istoprovidea shower head employing a member 1I-IiA is provided with. apertures I 8 spaced 'coil spring or similarly spirally wound piece of around the periphery thereof. wire, or rod, and adapted to be set withina. reis `threadedly attached to the housing I as at 2I. cessiin the head, with acenter plug. for `thepur- The upper end of the hood IB arbuts` against the pose of compressing andl expanding the spirally` 25 outwardly extending annular flange 9 of the cenwound coil of wires@ that a Huid-sealing annular terpiece A to hold the latter member in Xed nonengagement of the Iwire with the lwalls of the rotatable position relative to the housing I. recess and Ythe tapered plug member is convenhood i9 extends inwardly at its lower end to allow iently obtained. aV predetermined clearance 22 around the skirt vOther and further important objectsv will. be- Ili for reasons `hereinafter explained. come apparent from.` the disclosures in the `fol- In operation, the shower head of this invention lowing specication and the accompanying draw-` is attached in the customary manner bythe inlet ingin which g coupling '3 to the .usual source of liquid supply.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of` the shower head The .housing I and its associated elements may of` this invention, parts being brokenf afway so as-` be universally pivoted'around the ball 2 which is tofshow the interior. Y an integral part of `the inlet 3 of the shower Fg..2 is a sectional View taken onthe line `2-2 head, to allow for easy positioning of the head oiFig. 1. v y y S0 .thattherspray may be directed to the desired i Fig. 3 is a modified form of our invention. location. The water or other iuid passes through Directing attention to Fig. 1, the reference nu- 40 theinlet `3y into the chamber of the ball 2 and meral I indicates ygenerally the housing within past the' spring l whereupon it encounters the which thespray-forming interior parts of the upper end portion of the centerpiece '8; shower head aremounted A ball 2 forming part stage, there are two passages providediforthe flow vof the inlet coupling 3 cooperates with the upper of fluid, namely the central passage I3 which proportion Il of the casing I to form a universal ballil ceeds directly through the centerpiece shower and socket joint, although obviously any form oi head and the spiral passage provided between joint may be used without ailecting the applicathe coils of the wire helix II. tion of our invention. A packing gasket 6 is positioned passage causes the flowing liquid to swirl tioned Ibeneath the ball 2 and Within the housing and to acquire an eddying effect.

I and is maintained therebetween by the coil ed that these fluid passages converge at the lower spring 1 which acts on the underside of the gas` portion of the ported plug I2 within the centerket 6 to compress the latter member to form a piece 8, the combined swirling now continuing fluid-tight joint. The centerpiece or core 8 has downwardly through the vertical passage I4. an outwardly extending annular flange 9 abut-- Due to the swirling flow of the liquid when the ting an offset shoulder internally positioned in Water leaves the 4passage I4 it expands outwardly ing chamber 23 will expand to permit an admixture of air with the finely divided particles in stream of swirling `water to produce a mist-like shower spray. 1

Heretofore, the prior devices have produced similar eil'ects by the more expensive use of iluted diaphragm structures and the like, no one apparently realizing that a far-less expensive arrangement could be provided by the simple I use of a close fitting coil spring and an apertured plug centrally positioned therewithin.

The mixing of air with the flowing liquid per- --mits the use of substantially less water, for example, for the same length of shower, and from that standpoint is desirably economical.

It is apparent that the pitch of the spirally 'wound coil of wire may be either increased or decreased, depending upon the amount of flow desired. It is readily understandable that if the pitch were decreased, a smaller amount of water would be permitted to ow between the coils, and vice versa. Inasmuch as the wire helix may be removed for ready replacement at any time, it is also evident that a coil of wire having a different pitch may easily be inserted dependent upon the desire of the user as to the volume of Water required. The spirally wound coil of wire II is shown circular in cross-section; however, it is apparent that a square or other polygonal shaped wire may be employed to equal advantage.

It is therefore not the desire to be limited to the use of round wire for the spiral coil spring member. Further under certain conditions, it may be desirable to use a plug member I2 that does not have a central passage I3 as shown in the tapered plug which press ts the spiral coil in position within the core member 8.

Numerous changes may be made in the details of construction and it is therefore our desire only to be limited by the scope of the appended claims:

We claim: l

l. A shower head comprising a housing, inlet coupling means for the said housing, a centerpiece mounted within the said housing having a passageway therethrough with the upper end portion thereof substantially enlarged, a wire 1 helix of approximately the same diameter as the enlarged upper end of the said centerpiece passageway and positioned therewithin, a plug fitted :within said wire helix, the said centerpiece having a depending skirt with apertured means communicating with the atmosphere, whereby water flowing therethrough is given a swirling motion with air admixed therein to produce a mist-like spray.

2. A shower head comprising a housing, inlet coupling means therefor, a centerpiece mounted within said housing having a passageway therethrough with the upper end portion thereof substantially enlarged, a wire helix having approximately the same diameter as the enlarged upper end of the said centerpiece passageway and positioned therewithin, a plug fitted within said wire helix, the said plug having a relatively small central passage, an annular skirt depending from the said centerpiece with air communicating means, the said latter means consisting of passages communicating with the atmosphere, whereby water flowing therethrough is given a swirling motion with air drawn in from the atmosphere through the said passages to effect a mistlike spray.

3. A shower head comprising a housing, inlet coupling means for the said housing, a centerpiece mounted within said housing having a passageway therethrough with the upper end thereof enlarged, a wire helix having substantially the same diameter as the enlarged upper end'of the said centerpiece passageway and positioned therewithin, a plug press-fitted within said wire helix, an annular skirt member depending from the said centerpiece and having apertures therea-round, an outer hood-like member surrounding the said skirt member, the said hood-like member providing for an annular passage communicating with the atmosphere between said skirt member and said hood-like member, whereby water flowing therethrough is given a swirling motion accompanied with an air admixture to eiect a mist-like spray.

4. A shower head comprising a housing having a socket therein, an inlet connection therefor, a core member having a passage therethroughand enlarged at its upper end, a spirally wound coil of wire positioned in said enlarged portion of the core member passage, a tapered plug having a central passage therethrough press-fitted within the said spirally wound coil of wire, an apertured skirt for said core member, the said skirt having an air mixing chamber, a hood covering the skirt and attached to said housing, whereby water owing through the said core member passes through the spiral passage formed between the several loops of the spirally wound coil of wire and thereby acquires a swirling action, the said hood cooperating with the said apertured skirt to provide means for communicating with the atmosphere whereby the wateris subsequently expanded'to the air mixing chamber to allow' air entering around the apertures of the said skirt to become admixed with the swirling spray of water.

JAMES R. TUREK. r CARL BOLLING. 

